The separation of toys into so-called 'boys' and 'girls' toys has grown more extreme in recent years which is to the detriment of all children. When walking into a Toys "R" Us store or opening your catalog, it's instantly clear to kids that science, building, vehicles, and superheroes are the purview of boys while girls' toy options are limited dolls, crafts, beauty supplies, and, of course, princess paraphernalia.

Such segregated play leads girls and boys to hone different skill sets from an early age; skills they build upon to determine the direction of their future schooling and later career path. These differences perpetuate the disparities still seen in the job market, particularly in women's low representation in technical fields like engineering and computer science, which even further cements the gender-based wage gap. The number of children bullied because they wish to explore types of play that fall outside of the Toys "R" Us gendered 'boy' and 'girl' boxes also continues to rise.

Girls who love superheroes and boys who want to care for a doll deserve better. For real progress to happen, change needs to come from an industry leader. As the biggest toy store chain in the country, Toys "R" Us can set a new standard for inclusive toy marketing by committing to eliminate the gender stereotyping rampant in their advertisements.

Here are a few easy steps that Toys "R" Us can take:

- Remove 'boy' and 'girl' headings in their catalogs and sort toys by theme rather than gender.

- Display photos of children engaged in diverse and non-stereotypical types of play in marketing materials; a girl playing with a science set or a boy playing with a dollhouse.

- Display photos of boys and girls playing together with a variety of toys.

- Stop using pink and blue as proxies for 'girl' and 'boy' sections within marketing materials; let children know that a world of color is available to them.

Toys "R" Us, please stop gender stereotyping children in your marketing materials so that every child can feel free to explore their interests freely.